Bomb releasing shackle



2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR .ROSGOE MARKEY BY V &6(- fi-i" ATTORNEY R. l. MARKEY BOMB RELEASING SHACKLE Filed July 25, 1941 Sept. 22, 1942. v

s m- 22, 942- R. 1. MARKEY 2,296,360

BOMB RELEASING SHACKLE Filed July 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o a g 9 m P m m a V m LL .x

o m g E q- Ln 3 'INVENTOR ROSCOE l. MARKEY iawiw y ATTORNEY atenied Sept. 22, 1942 2,296,360 BOMB nnnm'snvo SHACKLE Roscoe L Mai-key, East Orange, N. 1., assignor to Poliak Manufacturing Company, Arlingto N. 1., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,607

1 Claim.

The invention relates to bomb releasing shackles, particularly adapted for use with aerial bombs.

In accordance with the invention a bomb shackle having a two point support for the bomb is provided with suitable means to release both of these supports at precisely the same instant.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device of extreme simplicity and one having a minimum number of parts for performing the above stated operation.

' The invention includes a pair of pivoted hooks connected by a tie member. One of the aspects of the invention is the provision of a simple release mechanism operating directly on one of the hooks in contradistinction to involved mechanism operating and controlled by the movement of the tie member. Another object of the invention resides in improvements in the construction of the tie member. Still another object of the invention is to provide simple and efllcient pivotal connections between the tie member and the hooks.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with the parts in one position;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, the front plate being removed, parts being in section and the moving parts being in another position;

Fig. 3 is an end view;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the hooks and tie member;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on a larger scale and is taken through the pivotal connection of either one of the hooks and tie member.

The invention is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 333,921, filed May 8, 1940.

Referring again to the drawings the framework or supporting structure of the shackle comprises two spaced plates l0l0, resistance welded or otherwise secured at either end to hinge-membomb rack or hanger, the exposed parts of the rods l4 acting as bearings therefor.

Hooks l8 and I! are pivoted at l8 and IS in the plates i0 and hinge-members i2-l3 at either end of the shackle. The hooks I6 and I! in the locked position of the shackle as shown in Fig. 1 sufficiently close the entrances of openings 20 to support rings or other suitable members 2| which carry the bomb (not shown), thus providing a two point support for the bomb.

The upper portions of the hooks l6 and II are pivoted at 22 to a longitudinally extending tie member 23. It wil be apparent that the hooks l6 and I1 and tie member 23 are movable simultaneously, and furthermore that the weight of the bomb as it hangs on the hooks tends to move the tie member toward the right and cause the hooks to move away from the openings 20.

Releasable locking means for the tie member and its hooks are provided and this means will now be described. The hook I 6 has an extending toe 24 the end of which engages a notch25 in a lever 26 when the parts are in the locked position of Fig. l. The lever 26 is pivoted at 21 and is normally urged toward the left or to the locked position by a spring 28. The toe 24 of the hook is provided with an opening 29 and a pin or bolt 30 passing through this opening and carried by the side plates l0 acts as a stop to limit the movement of the hook in either direction.

From the foregoing it is thought to be apparcut that a means of extreme simplicity is provided to support and release the bomb. With the parts in the position of Fig. 1 when it is desired to release the bomb the operating lever 26 is moved to the right or to the position of Fig. 2 and the end of the toe is released from the notch 25 in the lever 26. The hooks being connected by the tie member 23 will move simultaneously and the bomb will be dropped.

Means are provided whereby the bomb may be dropped armed or unarmed and this means is somewhat similar to that described in my heretofore mentioned copending application. A notch 85 is formed in the side plates l0 and this notch is adapted to be closed by an arm 36 on a latch member 31 pivoted at 38 in the side plates Ill. The latch member 31 is normally urged to a position where the arm 36 covers the notch by a spring 39.

The latch member 31 has another arm 40 which has a flattened end adapted tobutt up against a flattened end of a toe 4| formed on mit of entry of the supporting members of the the operating lever 42 when the parts are in a position to drop the bomb armed (see Fig. 2). The lever 42 is pivoted in the side plates III at 43 and a spring 44 normally urges it to the right or the unarmed position of Fig. 1. In this position when the bomb is released the arming wire 45 will overcome the resistance of the spring 8! and move the arm 40 out of its path and the bomb will drop unarmed. In the position of Fig. 2 the arm 40 will be held against movement, the arming wire 45 will be retained and the bomb will drop armed.

Another aspect of the invention resides in the construction of the tie member 23. Heretofore in constructions embodying a pair of hooks and a tie member the tie member has been formed of a solid bar. In accordance with the present invention the tie member is formed of two spaced strips 50. The weight of the tie member is thus greatly lightened, which is an important feature where the shackle is used on aeroplanes, without the sacrifice of strength or rigidity. Another important feature of this construction is the fact oi" the two strips acting as guides or positioning means for moving parts of the mechanism. For instance, in the present construction the operating levers 2i and 42 and a toe on the latch member 31 pass between the strips.

-The strips are hinged at 22 to the hooks I! and I1 and for this purpose a stepped rivet is provided. As illustrated in Fig. 'l the body portion ii extends a slight amount beyond the sides of that portion of the hook through which the Changes in details 0! construction and ar-' rangements of parts such as would occur to one skilled in the art are to be considered ascoming within the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim. I

I claim:

A bomb releasing shackle having in combination, a supporting frame comprising two spaced plates, bomb carrying hooks pivoted in said irame between said plates at opposite ends thereof, a tie member connecting said books so that they will operate simultaneously,atoe on one of said hooks, said toe extending inwardly toward the other of said hooks, an operating lever pivoted in said supporting frame between said hooks, a notch on said operating lever, the end of said toe in one position of the operating lever engaging said notch so as to prevent movement oi said tie member and its hooks and in another position of said operating lever the end of the toe is released from said notch and the bomb is dropped, means for limiting the movement oi said toe and its hook in either direction, and means for normally urging said operating lever to its locked position.

R. I. MARKEY. 

